Riff Tone

Cliffs of Dover

Eric Johnson

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

Guitar1963 Gibson ES-335

Amp1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head

PickupsGibson humbuckers (original 1963 ES-335 bridge pickup)

Amp Settings

gain7

bass5.5

mid5

treble3.5

reverb2

presence3

Effects & Signal Chain

overdriveChandler Chandler Tube Driver

delayMaestro Maestro EP-3 Echoplex

Notes

Studio recording for 'Cliffs of Dover' (riff section), recorded for the 1990 album 'Ah Via Musicom'. Johnson used the ES-335 for most of the song's main riff and rhythm sections, with the Marshall Super Lead cranked and a Tube Driver and Echoplex in the signal chain. Settings are from the original studio session, not live.

Tone Character(10)

sweet, sustainingsmooth, violin-likearticulate pick attacktouch-sensitivedynamic responsenot harsh or fizzysinging sustainbridge pickup claritycranked but controlledrich harmonic content

Difficulty

The main riff of 'Cliffs of Dover' is extremely technical, requiring fast picking, intricate legato, and precise dynamic control to match the articulation and tone of the original recording.

Sources

Eric Johnson's guitar tone on Cliffs of Dover: secrets behind the sound | Guitar World Rig Rundown: Eric Johnson [2018] - Premier Guitar

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